A three-vehicle wreck claimed the life of a Mississippi man last Friday in Shreveport.

SHREVEPORT, LA (KSLA) -
Police have released the names of two people involved in a deadly motorcycle wreck that happened Friday at a South Shreveport intersection that residents said needs a traffic signal.

Edwin J. Bergeron, 49 of Vicksburg, Mississippi, was killed after the Honda CBR he was riding was reportedly hit by a Scion TC, which was exiting the Twelve Oaks subdivision and allegedly went into Bergeron's path, police said.

Bergeron was traveling eastbound on E. Flournoy Lucas Road at the time of the crash, which happened at the crossing of Ashley River Road.

The Scion was driven by a 16-year-old female whose name has not been released by police due to her age. An investigation showed that Bergeron was thrown from his motorcycle and was then struck by a Lexus SUV. That vehicle was driven by Summer B. Smith, 36 of Shreveport.

Neighbors said the teenage driver cried uncontrollably at the scene.

"She was devastated, you could see it, it's not something you can go back and fix," said Lorrie Nunley, who owns a nearby business and witnessed the aftermath of the wreck.

"It happened, it was an accident of course, but we need a red light," said Nunley. She and her neighbors believe a traffic light would make the intersection safer.

According to DOTD spokesman Susan Stafford, the department did receive a traffic signal request for the intersection on January 2, but once they completed a study, they found that the intersection doesn't meet the requirements for a new traffic signal.

"The City of Shreveport conducted the study, and found that the intersection does not meet the volume warranted, nor does it meet the signal spacing requirement of a half mile," Stafford said.

"A new signal at this location would only be 750 feet from the existing signal at the La.3132 interchange," She said.

Shreveport resident Mike Powell disagrees with the DOTD. He believes a red light is needed for the safety of everybody on this road.

"I think one person lost their life last week, that should change everything," he said. "There is more than enough traffic. Maybe they [DOTD] should bring their families out here and try to navigate this."

Engineering studies conducted across the country have shown that unjustified signal installations can cause unnecessary delays to motorists and typically result in an overall increase of crashes at an intersection, especially rear-end crashes, Stafford said.

Charges against the 16-year-old driver of the Scion are pending the conclusion of the SPD's investigation.